In Search of Fang
by girlonthewall
Summary: The Flock goes back to the School -- minus Fang. Will they make it out alive and be reunited with him? FAX, read and review.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Max and the rest of the lovely Maximum Ride characters, sadly, aren't mine. Only the plot is. 

* * *

I could smell the sickening odor of disinfectant as I woke. Still groggy and disoriented, I looked around me, trying to figure out where I was.

The test tube racks on my right told me I was at The School once again. And I had no idea how I ended up here.

And I was inside a dog crate far too small for me -- I was crouched low now, almost squatting. I glanced around, looking for my flock.

I could feel someone was missing, but I couldn't pinpoint who. I peered through my dog crate, checking if everyone was there.

"Max?" asked Angel innocently, stirring from her dog crate. "What happened?"

"Sweetie, I'm afraid we're -- we're back in The School," I gulped, still looking around. Gazzy was in the crate right in front of me, and Nudge was in the crate beside Angel's, still fast asleep. I looked around for Iggy and Fang.

I turned my head to the left and saw Iggy's crate beside me. Good. He was still there. But where was Fang?

"Max, I don't think Fang's here," said Angel, obviously reading my thoughts again.

"You sure, Angel?" Already, I was dreading the worst.

"Yes," she replied, a frown slowly appearing on her face. "Total's gone too."

Which only meant one thing.

Crap.


	2. Chapter 2

Okay. This revolting new development frightened me. I mean, those sicko scientists can have their hands on us anytime they want now.

And where was Fang, anyway?

This felt just as bad as the time Angel was kidnapped. Maybe even worse -- Fang was my bestest friend in the whole world. He was the only one I could completely confide in -- and now, he was gone.

I just wanted to break down there at the moment, had the rest of the flock not started staring at me with a questioning look.

_Pull yourself together, Max, _the Voice said. _This isn't the time to start moping around.  
_  
I felt my stomach give a funny jolt, totally unnerved by my Voice's sudden presence. _I'm not moping around here, in case you haven't noticed! _I retorted snidely to the Voice. _I mean, hello? I'm in a freaking dog crate!_

"Do we have a plan, Max?" asked Nudge suddenly, her dark eyes gazing at me.

"Of course, Nudge. There's always a plan," I told her quite convincingly. For these kids, I always had to have a plan.

Even if there isn't one.

It's a miracle we're still alive, honestly. "We have to get out of here as soon as possible, guys. Then we'll look for Total and Fang," I continued, trying to look as confident as I could.

This cheered them up a bit, even though we all have no idea how to get out of this damned place.

_Fang,_ I thought, _we'll be coming for you._


	3. Chapter 3

_Somewhere in Colorado..._

Fang awoke with a start. He had this horrible dream: Flyboys were chasing him, alone, in the middle of New York City. He tried to outrun them -- even taking the subway -- but they caught up with him. As he tried to fly away from his death, he suddenly noticed something as he passed by a store.

His wings were, absurdly, not there.

But it had all been a dream. He checked his back for his wings, and there they were, perfectly fine, not a feather out of place.

Everything else wasn't, however. He felt that it was too quiet.

Too dang quiet.

He flew down his tree and his worst suspicions were confirmed. Somehow, he just... _knew_.

"Dammit!" he screamed, punching the tree with his right fist. It was no good; his knuckles were now bloodied and splinters of wood were stuck on it.

Frustration overwhelmed him at this point. _Why did they kidnap the others?_ he thought. _Why was I left alone?_

Just then, he heard a familiar voice saying, "What did you punch my tree for, Fang?".

It was Total.

Fang grunted, not wanting to say anything at the moment. Instead, he was thinking -- thinking of what he should do.

Thinking how much he missed the Flock already, especially Max.

He sighed, then flew up to Total's tree and tucked him under his arms. "We're rescuing them, Total. The School's got 'em."

For once, Total was unable to say anything.

And they flew away in silence.


	4. Chapter 4

We all had no idea what time it was now. We were locked in windowless rooms, you see. But that was the least of our concerns.

We were hungry, and imprisoned.

I could hear Gazzy's stomach growling now -- which was not a good sign. Nudge gave me a look that also spoke of her hunger.

They were starving us to death.

_No, Max. They aren't, _interrupted the Voice. _They're just testing your abilities._

_Well, this is the best test they've ever given us, _I thought sarcastically. _What's next, making us walk over fire or something? I think that would be really enjoyable._

As expected, the Voice did not respond.

"How the heck are we supposed to get out here?" I muttered angrily, speaking to the Voice. "How do you expect us to, when we're here, weak with hunger?"

_They'll feed you in an hour, _reassured the Voice._ Don't worry. Just relax. You need your strength._

I just kept quiet then, and started thinking of possible plans.

"Max?" asked Angel, her eyes drooping.

"Yeah, sweetie?"

"They said they'll feed us in an hour, right?"

"Mmhmm."

"So I was thinking, once they open our crates, we'll try to kick their butts so that we can run," she said.

"Well, that could be. One thing, though. What if Fang decides to look for us?" I enquired, seeing the possibility.

"Well... I don't know." She looked sad.

"Don't worry, sweetie. Your plan's fine. We'll try it, okay?" I told her.

"Okay," she frowned.

I went back to my thoughts. What if Fang really looks for us?

I didn't want to think about it.


	5. Chapter 5

Three hours later, Fang was flying over somewhere in Arizona, Total dozing off in his backpack. The heat of the sun wasn't much of a bother to him -- there was a nice air current coming from the west. And although it did hamper his journey a bit -- travelling against the wind was quite rough -- he didn't mind it at all.

Just then, he heard his stomach growl.

He hadn't eaten in quite a while, and he was starting to get tired. So he decided to go down to the nearest town and rummage around for food. _After all,_ he thought, _I can't save them on an empty stomach._

A few minutes later, he was walking on the streets, looking for a Dumpster. Anything with food would do.

He finally spotted the nearest McDonalds. _Perfect,_ he decided, _loads of food here, never mind the calories._ He needed the calories, anyway. Being a bird kid did that to you.

As he dived into the Dumpster, he felt the sky getting darker. He glanced at his watch. It was only 3 in the afternoon. Bewildered, he looked up to the sky.

Flyboys were swooping down on him.

Without skipping a beat, he launched himself into full combat mode. A roundhouse kick here, a punch there. _Dammit,_ he thought, _if only Max and the others were here.  
_

One of the Flyboys managed to kick his shin hard. He jolted backward, stumbling over a bit. In revenge, he targeted the base of their spines, a weakness he knew from past skirmishes with others of their kind, giving it a roundhouse kick.

Pretty soon, all the Flyboys were taking dirt naps -- and Total was stirring.

"Did I miss anything?" Total asked.

"Not really. Go have some food," Fang offered, a hamburger patty in his hand.

Total sniffed the patty in Fang's hand, then said, "Rotten burger patties? No, thanks."

"Fine. Starve then."

Total pondered on this for a while, then said, "Okay, fine, but that's only because I want to see Angel and the others again."

Fang said no more about this, and continued eating.

_Max,_ he silently whispered to himself while taking a bite out of a chicken nugget, _I hope you're alright._


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:** I'm really sorry for not updating these past few days -- I was away on vacation. Really, really sorry! I won't promise a chapter every two days or something though -- I need a life too. :D

* * *

"Look, here's Maximum Ride! And the others too!" exclaimed a scientist as he opened the door of our room.

Or rather, our prison.

We were still starving, but hey, at least they already fed us. With, like, meals fit for your average human adult. But still -- a small meal's still better than nothing, especially for us mutant freaks constantly on the run.

Just then, a whitecoat peered through my crate and started taking notes on his clipboard.

"This one seems normal. A bit agitated and malnourished, but it's otherwise perfectly healthy."

See how they refer us to, like we're freaking lab experiments? Oh, wait. We are experiments, to them at least.

"Max, I wish Fang was here with us," Gazzy moaned through his crate. He looked at me with, oh God, eyes showing suffering.

All of us were.

"Gazzy, I wish the same too." It was the closest I've ever said to admitting defeat.

"Okay, you guys. You have to come with us," said one whitecoat, the one who peered through my crate.

I was puzzled. "And why should we?"

They said nothing except for, "Because you have to."

"Like that will convince us to go with you, guys. I mean, listen. We. Do. Not. Have. To. Freaking. Cooperate. With. You. Sickos. We've got minds of our own, for heaven's sake!"

I could not take it any longer.

All of a sudden, one of the whitecoats opened up my crate, and dragged me out.

"You are going to go with us, whether you like it or not. Fail to cooperate, and Itex will exterminate you," he said menacingly, holding my wrist so tight it hurt. He suddenly got a syringe filled up with some liquid, and injected it on me.

The sensation was eerily familiar.

Valium.

Holy crap.

And what was this bit about Itex? They want us _again_?

_Fang_, I asked to myself, as my body started to shut down, _where the hell are you? Itex wants us, for heaven's sake!_

_Max_, said the Voice. _He's on his way. Don't worry.  
_  
_Wow, so you're replying now_, I retorted snappily. _How come he's not here yet, then? And how come he wasn't here in the first place?_

As expected, the Voice did not reply.

Holy crap. Now I was truly alone.

Why?

Because the others were still in their cages. Ergo, they only wanted me.

Holy crap indeed.


End file.
